Elana James

Elana James' voice resembles a violin: bright and trebly in tone with fluid movement between notes. Those pipes ring true on Black Beauty lead-off "Only You," an earthy pop song atop a hiccuping pizzicato fiddle. She then throws the lasso wide on her sophomore solo disc, incorporating gypsy soliloquies ("Who Loves You More"), holler folk ("High Upon the Mountain"), cinematic instrumentals ("Ayriliq"), and nightclub jazz ("All I Need Is You") with a consistent expressiveness. Her take on former employer Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" and the Grateful Dead's "Ripple" stand, but empathetic folk standard "Hobo's Lullaby" missteps on saccharine vocals and a cheesy shuffle beat. Redemption arrives on emotional home run "Hey Beautiful: Last Letter From Iraq," a final correspondence home from Iraq that's guaranteed to wring tears.